Good Faith Estimates
I am required by law to provide information on Good Faith Estimates and am including my process for providing them below. Feel free to contact me with ny questions.
Good Faith Estimate Notice (New Law Effective January 1, 2022)
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.
Under this new law, health care providers currently need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance (i.e. Self Pay) an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
How This Affects My Process
Dear Clients and Parent/Legal Guardians of Minor Clients of Sage & Anchor, PLLC,
The caveats I see here are that I cannot ethically diagnose someone or make a treatment plan for someone until after the initial intake session(s) when we contractually agree to work together. The Good Faith Estimate form asks for a Diagnosis Code and a Treatment Plan prior to that time. Therefore, I will happily provide this information after the initial intake process along with a proposed treatment plan.
The prices of my services have always been posted on my website (sageandanchor.com) for your review prior to scheduling and while receiving treatment. The estimate of frequency of sessions can change over the course of time, but is initially determined at intake. Treatment often begins on a weekly basis and then stretches out as symptoms and situations improve (on a case by case basis). The more trauma one has incurred early in life, typically the higher the frequency and duration of sessions needed for safe and effective treatment.
I am available to answer any of your questions about billing, scheduling or our clinical work together at any time, and always have been, so this may be redundant, but is now a new requirement of health care providers. I look forward to continued transparency and clear communication on both our parts.
Respectfully Yours,
Erich Priest, MSW, LCSW, CCTP
February 1, 2022
